Chapter 7.5

Tutorial World #336: Day 1

The excitement of taming his first monster, especially one that was uncommon in rarity and seemingly stronger than others of its kind, was tempered by the amount of pain and terror from the short battle. When the chinchillycorn had stabbed him in his arm with its wickedly sharp, icy horn, Doc had known that he was going to die. It was the end of his life. He had been playing this new life like it was a game. The whole thing felt unreal in many ways. Even when the ape had grabbed him in the first few minutes of being on this strange new world, he had acted on pure instinct and hadn’t had time to think of the ramifications of what would have happened if Grizz hadn’t caught him out of thin air. Grizz had had to jump in and save Doc again. He was beginning to realize that he wasn’t the hero of an epic tale, where being the hero meant plot armor would ensure he would make it safely to the next story arc. In fact, he had already died. If he didn’t start changing the way he approached conflict, that would be his fate once again.

“We need to look into the other creatures that you sensed before,” Doc ordered. “Can you sense where they are? I don’t want us to be hit again when we aren’t at full strength.” Doc looked around, making sure that another attack wasn’t on its way from the grove in front of them.

Grizz closed his eyes, reaching out with Tremor Sense. His extra sensitive spider-like legs began feeling for any vibrations in the rocky surface. The motion of a few smaller creatures ahead of them helped to draw a picture in Grizz’s mind. On the giant hill’s craggy surface, several small fissures marked the surface and up ahead a large crack protruded from the hill. In this crack in the earth, there were several smaller creatures huddled next to each other, vibrating rapidly. Either the remainder of the chinchillycorns were working together to form a new kind of attack, or, more likely, they were scared out of their little brains and shaking in fear.

I am not one hundred percent certain, Grizz thought back to Doc, but it seems that the remainder of the chinchillycorn pack are kits that are holed up in their den up ahead in that rock outcropping. Grizz pointed one of his claws toward the split in the earth in front of the dark grove of trees in front of them. We should probably approach cautiously, just in case, but I don’t think there are any more full-grown adults to fight.

Nodding in understanding, Doc began to think. Happy to not have to deal with the adults again, he still wasn’t sure that he and Grizz would be safe. The chinchillycorns possessed magical attacks and the kits, if they even were kits, could still use that against them. On the other hand, what did it say about Doc if he was just going around and killing monsters indiscriminately? The thoughts that he had been having just moments ago started flashing through his mind again. He didn’t want to die and these monsters, baby or not, could still do that to him.

“What do you think?” Doc asked his summon, not wanting to decide by himself.

I think that you and I are probably on the same page on this one, Grizz thought back to Doc. I don’t want to kill the infants either, as they haven’t directly gotten in our way, but they could. They could also be a good source of more experience and loot. Why don’t we move forward and just see what we are dealing with before we have to make any decisions? You can loot the adult bodies along the way. No need to rush the decision.

Doc nodded once again. That was a decent course of action. More information always allows for more informed decisions. He started to move forward toward the webbed trap. “Is there any way that you can just make the web disappear? It is not going to be easy to get to the four bodies in the middle.”

The traps are meant to be just that, a trap. They don’t just disappear on demand, Grizz explained. With that being said, the trap is magically made and is meant to dissolve after half a day or so. Don’t worry though, I can go get the bodies.

Grizz’s spider legs extended out and underneath his body to lift him and he started skittering forward toward the center of the web trap. Doc was still impressed with the grace with which Grizz was able to travel using those spider legs. It was creepy in a beautiful way, two pairs of legs on both sides working in conjunction to keep the body moving while lifting the other two pairs of legs in the air to grab ahead for the next steps. It was a very fluid motion.

Grizz quickly made it to the center of the trap, instinctually picking out the nonsticky threads to step on. When he made it to the center of the web, he used his bear claws to break the strands securing the four chinchillycorn bodies. He grabbed the bodies, wrapped them up in a bundle of webbing, and brought them back over to Doc to work on with his loot spell. To be able to loot each body, Doc would have to have access to the body, so Grizz cut open the webbing.

Doc reached out over the first body to begin casting his Minor Loot Monster spell and saw the pulped mess of the whip kill he had made earlier. He took a moment to reflect on the battle once again. It was bloody and it was quick. The smashed carcass in front of him depicted the horrors that could happen to him if he wasn’t careful. Doc resolved to be smarter and more prepared going forward.

Doc began the spell, his hand and a monster’s body once again glowing a faint blue color. Over the three-second cast time, the body of the chinchillycorn became all blue light and then sparkled away into the sky. It was as if the small body had transformed into a million blue fireflies, all spreading out from the body and winking out one by one as they diffused the mana of the monster’s body in the surroundings. Doc was struck with the beauty of the display which was a direct counter to the ugliness of the dead body that had been left there before. The process felt right as he was able to repurpose the destroyed creature into something useful and beautiful.

As the light of the sparks dissipated, a small pack of cards appeared floating in the air where the body had been. Excited to see what the loot was like any good adventurer would, he grabbed the pack out of the air and began to examine it. The process completely took him back to when he was a young high school student, buying packs of cards for his favorite trading card games. It was exhilarating as, until the pack was opened, the possibilities were endless. What kind of rare card would pop out with its shiny colors and reflective surface?

The small pack was the aluminum foil and plastic wrapping combination he was used to growing up. On the front of the pack, a picture of the chinchillycorn stood out. The small, ice-white horn rising from the crown of the creature's head was pointing out of the picture as the monster was depicted as jumping out of the packet. The luxurious fur was the blue granite color that Doc had seen in the creatures before they had been killed. The only writing on the packet was some bold letters at the bottom naming the creature: CHINCHILLYCORN. Doc, unable to hold himself back anymore, opened the pack to see what was inside.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Pulling apart one of the ends as he would twenty-five years ago, the pack opened and then dissipated in the same way that the monster had, leaving two glowing cards. One card had a white outline and had a picture of a small lump of meat in the top area. In the area below the picture was a small “button” that had conjure written on top of it. Flipping the card to its back, Doc didn’t see any difference from the front. It was the same picture and conjure button. He moved on to the second card.

The second card had a picture of a pelt of the chinchillycorn, but this one was outlined in green. The card also felt as if it was a bit more powerful than the white meat card. It also contained the same conjure button. Not being able to handle the suspense anymore, Doc pressed the conjure button on the green card. The inner glow of the card disappeared as its shape morphed. It took on the shape and consistency of a fleshy blob and then started to expand out and become softer. After a few seconds, the object stopped shifting and lay around his arm. It was the fur of chinchillycorn and Doc needed to know more. He used his Identify skill on the fur and knew more.

You have identified: Fur Pelt of the Chinchillycorn

Uncommon

The fur of the Chinchillycorn is a required source of warmth for the ice-conjuring monsters. The softness of this creature’s fur is only matched by how thick it is. You destroyed something beautiful today and you should be ashamed. The pelt has the following attributes:

1. Provides 35% cold resistance when placed in armor

2. Has a base defense of 2 when used for armor

3. Makes a nice pillow or blanket

The soft pelt felt incredible in Doc’s grip as he pulled his hand through the incredibly soft fur. Doc could totally understand the description stating that it would make a nice pillow. He absolutely planned to sleep on it when he eventually rested. He slipped the fur pelt into his inventory to play around with later. He could not make armor or clothes, but he was hoping to get a few more pelts from the creatures, just so he could have a makeshift pillow and patchwork blanket.

Doc decided against conjuring the meat card for now as he wasn’t ready to cook anything. He was also interested in if this would be a good way to keep his meat from spoiling. Meat left out spoiled quickly. This magical loot skill could save him from a #37, the worst form of diarrhea caused by food poisoning.

Doc went ahead and looted the three other corpses and was able to get three more pieces of meat, one more pelt, and two new items. The first was a white card depicting the claws of chinchillycorn. They didn’t seem all that special or big, so Doc was unsure of what he would be able to do with them. The last card was completely different though. Instead of a white or green, the card had a beautiful royal blue outline that shimmered. On the picture was the beautiful white horn. Now that he could get a closer look at the horn, he could see the outline of snowflakes carved into the horn, implying the danger of ice. This card’s picture not only had the horn depicted, but the picture had both a shine and movement. Small dots of snow would gently fall down the frame. Doc immediately pressed the conjure button and identified the horn that the card morphed into.

You have identified: Chilled Horn of the Chinchillycorn.

Sporadic

Durability: 223/ 223

This horn is the core of the Chinchillycorn’s ice powers. It focuses the ambient mana surrounding the beast and gives it an ice form. Foes stabbed with this horn can be turned into unappealing ice pops that no one wants to lick. The horn has the following attributes:

1. Can be used as a dagger that does 8-10 base damage and 3-4 ice damage. Has a 1% chance of freezing the opponent.

2. Can be used as the core of magical crafts or golems.

3. Horn can be ground down for alchemical or enchantable recipes

4. Can be converted into 50 experience points.

Despite having a chill due to the ice magic coursing through it, the horn was not too cold to hold nor slick like melted ice. Being conical in shape, it wouldn’t be a great slashing weapon, but if Doc could use it to stab into an enemy and do serious damage. He even had a chance to completely freeze the monster. Doc loved the idea of having another weapon to protect himself and Grizz. The last line of the description also reminded him to check his notifications for his XP gains from the battle. He definitely had plans for all the XP he was getting.

You have gained 60 Experience Points from defeating four uncommon ranked Chinchillycorns and one uncommon ranked variant Chinchillycorn.

Based on the amount of XP he had received from the fight, it seemed that he got around 12 XP for each beast, but the specific difference between the regular chinchillycorns and the variant was something he could only guess at. The XP notification didn't break down the gains into each monster. He wasn’t even sure if each of the nonvariants gave the same amount of XP. Either way, the experience could go towards making him and Grizz stronger.

Having looted the kills, Grizz and Doc moved forward slowly and quietly toward the crag. Each step was smooth and the only sound of their movement was the small scrapes of the scree underneath Doc’s feet. Their approach didn’t seem to be noticed by the cowering creatures. Doc and Grizz peeked into the crag and looked at the creatures below. They were no longer concerned.

It was a small pack of chinchillycorn kits. They were so young, that they hadn’t even grown their horns yet. Since that was the source of their icy powers and physical attacks, there was no way that the small babies could significantly harm them. Doc didn’t feel right taking the lives of the small creatures, even if it meant that he could get some more loot and experience. It just felt wrong.

“Let’s leave them here,” Doc explained to Grizz. “I don’t feel right using them for XP or loot. We might be leaving them to die if they are on their own, but I just don’t feel right since they can’t defend themselves.”

Grizz looked at his summoner and nodded in assumed agreement. Grizz didn’t necessarily agree that they shouldn’t take advantage of the “free” loot and experience, but he could see where his master was coming from. Grizz started wondering why his own opinion was diverting away from Doc’s. In theory, they came from the same soul and had all the same experiences, but Grizz was starting to see that maybe he was his own monster. He wasn’t sure how that worked, if he had taken the more monstrous side from Doc out of his soul or if he was a copy that just happened to have instincts that were more in line with the ursarachnid species, but it was something to keep an eye on. All of those thoughts Grizz kept to himself, though, so Doc went unaware of the indecision of his Soul Summon.

Doc looked around and still felt like there was something about the hill that he was meant to find. That meant that the grove had to be hiding something. With the long trek uphill and the chinchillycorns guardian the grove, that made sense to him. Doc walked up to the edge of the trees that made up the dark grove when a notification popped up. Doc looked back at Grizz, a wild grin spread from ear to ear.

You have found the Dark Grove Dungeon. The dungeon is a series of challenges set in the Dark Grove. Would you like to enter? Yes or No.